Light guiding device, reader/writer device for noncontact communication medium, and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

A light guiding device used for a reader/writer device for a noncontact communication medium is provided with a light guide plate having a transparent main body part which can transmit light inputted from an LED and a protruding part protruding from a part of an end surface of the transparent main body part. A diffusely reflecting part is provided on a lower surface side of the transparent main body part, and a first light emitting part is provided on an upper surface side of the transparent main body part. Reflecting parts are provided on an upper surface side and a lower surface side of the protruding part, and second light emitting part is provided at a leading end. of the protruding part. When the first light emitting part is covered by the noncontact communication medium, the second light emitting part can check a light emitting state.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/919,876 filed Aug. 27, 2010, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a light guiding device which is usedfor an electronic apparatus such as a reader/writer device for anoncontact communication medium.

BACKGROUND ART

Up to now, an electronic apparatus which communicates with a noncontactcommunication medium has been put into practical use. Examples of thetypical. noncontact communication medium include a credit. card, a debitcard, and a card-type passenger ticket (commuter pass and prepaidpassenger ticket) which use an RF-ID (Radio Frequency Identification)technology. These noncontact communication mediums are used for variouspurposes such as small-amount settlement, room entry/exit management,and product distribution management.

The electronic apparatus of this type conventionally includes a loopantenna and a communication circuit (guide-type read/write communicationpart) which communicates with a noncontact communication medium via theloop antenna. Then, the guide-type read/write communication parttransmits electric power and transmission data constantly orintermittently, and obtains reception data from a noncontactcommunication medium located within a receivable range of the electricpower and the transmission data, to thereby perform informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium. Such a technologyis disclosed in, for example, Japanese. Patent Laid-Open No. 09-319847.Then, a light emitting part incorporated in the guide-type read/writecommunication part changes a light emitting state thereof to announce astandby state of communication with the noncontact communication mediumand a result of information processing (display of a state such asread/write success or read/write failure) with the noncontactcommunication medium. Such a technology is disclosed in, for example,Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-323615 and Japanese. Patent Laid-OpenNo. 2005-84794.

However, in a conventional reader/writer device for a noncontactcommunication medium, in the case where an area of a reader/writer partis made smaller than that of the noncontact communication medium inorder to downsize the device, when the noncontact communication mediumis held over the reader/writer part, an entire surface of thereader/writer part is covered by the noncontact communication medium. Asa result, even if a light emitting part incorporated in thereader/writer part changes a light emitting state thereof to announce aresult of information processing (a state such as read/write success orread/write failure) with the noncontact communication medium, it isdifficult to check the announcement (emission of blue color light, redcolor light, or the like).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

The present invention has been made under the above-mentionedcircumstances. The present invention has an object to provide a lightguiding device in which a light emitting state of a light emitting partcan be easily checked.

Means for Solving the Problem

One aspect of the present invention provides a light guiding device. Thelight guiding device includes: a light guide, late including: atransparent main body part which can transmit light inputted from alight source; and a protruding part which is provided so as to protrudefrom a part of an end surface of the transparent main body part; adiffusely reflecting part which is provided on a lower surface side ofthe transparent main body part; a light emitting planar part whichcorresponds to a first light emitting part and is provided on an uppersurface side of the transparent main body part; reflecting parts whichare provided on a portion of the end surface of the transparent mainbody part on which the protruding part is not provided and on an uppersurface side, a lower surface side, and both side surface sides of theprotruding part; and a light emitting end part which corresponds to asecond light emitting part and is provided at a leading end of theprotruding part.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a reader/writer devicefor a noncontact communication medium. The reader/writer device, for thenoncontact communication medium includes: the above-mentioned lightguiding device; a reader/writer part which performs informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium; an input operationpart which performs a data input operation for the informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium; the first lightemitting part which is included in the light guiding device, and changesa light emitting state thereof at a time of the information processingwith the noncontact communication medium; and the second light emittingpart which is included in the light guiding device, is disposed in avicinity of the input operation part at a position apart from the firstlight emitting part, and operates together with the first light emittingpart to change an illumination state thereof.

Still another aspect of the present invention provides an electronicapparatus. The electronic apparatus includes the above-mentioned lightguiding device.

Further another aspect of the present invention provides an electronicapparatus. The electronic apparatus includes the above-mentionedreader/writer device for the noncontact communication medium.

As described below, the present invention has other aspects.Accordingly, this disclosure of the invention is intended to provide apart of the aspects of the present invention, and is not intended tolimit the scope of the invention which is described and claimed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reader/writer device for a noncontactcommunication medium according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the reader/writer device forthe noncontact communication medium according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the reader/writer device for thenoncontact communication medium according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a light guide plate according to the presentembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view for describing a state where a firstlight emitting part and a second light emitting part are caused to emitlight according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a light guide plate according to anotherembodiment;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a light guide plate according tostill another embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a light guide plate according tofurther another embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

-   1 reader/writer device for noncontact communication medium-   2 noncontact communication medium-   3 reader/writer part-   4 input operation part-   7 first light emitting part (light emitting planar part)-   8 second light emitting part (light emitting end part)-   9 LED (light source)-   10 light guide plate-   11 transparent main body part-   18 protruding part-   19 diffusely reflecting part-   21 reflecting part-   22 light entrance part-   23 light direction change part

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, detailed description of the present invention is given. Itshould be noted that the following detailed description and the attacheddrawings do not limit the present invention. The scope of the inventionis defined by the attached claims instead.

A light guiding device according to the present invention includes: alight guide plate including: a transparent main body part which cantransmit light inputted from a light source; and a protruding part whichis provided so as to protrude from a part of an end surface of thetransparent main body part; a diffusely reflecting part which isprovided on a lower surface side of the transparent main body part; alight emitting planar part which corresponds to a first light emittingpart and is provided on an upper surface side of the transparent mainbody part; reflecting parts which are provided on a portion of the endsurface of the transparent main body part on which the protruding partis not provided and on an upper surface side, a lower surface side, andboth side surface sides of the protruding part; and a light emitting endpart which corresponds to a second light emitting part and is providedat a leading end of the protruding part.

With this configuration, the light inputted from the light source isdiffusely reflected by the diffusely reflecting part of the transparentmain body part, so that the light emitting planar part (first lightemitting part) on the upper surface side of the transparent main bodypart emits light. At the same time, the light inputted from the lightsource is transmitted through the transparent main body part, so thatthe light emitting end part (second light emitting part) at the leadingend of the protruding part emits light. At this time, because thereflecting parts are provided on the portion of the end surface of thetransparent main body part on which the protruding part is not providedand on the upper surface side, the lower surface side, and the both sidesurface sides of the protruding part, it is possible to prevent thelight from leaking to the outside through a portion other than theleading end (light emitting end part) of the protruding part, whichenables suppressing a reduction in light amount of the light emittingend part. In a reader/writer device for a noncontact communicationmedium using the light guiding device as described above, in the casewhere an area of the light emitting planar part (first light emittingpart) is made smaller than that of the noncontact communication medium,even if an entire surface of a reader/writer part is covered by thenoncontact communication medium, the light emitting end part (secondlight emitting part) makes it possible to easily check a light emittingstate indicating a result of information processing with the noncontactcommunication medium. Accordingly, it is possible to make smaller thearea of the light emitting planar part, to thereby downsize the device.

In addition, in the light guiding device, according to the presentinvention, the light guide plate may include a plurality of theprotruding parts which protrude in directions different from each otherfrom the end surface of the transparent main body part, the reflectingparts may be provided on a portion of the end surface of the transparentmain body part on which the protruding parts are not provided and on theupper surface side, the lower surface side, and the both side surfacesides of each of the plurality of protruding parts, and the lightemitting end part may be provided at the leading end of each of theplurality of protruding parts.

With this configuration, the light emitting planar part (first lightemitting part) on the upper surface side of the transparent main bodypart emits light, and at the same time, the light emitting end parts(second light emitting parts) at the leading ends of the plurality ofprotruding parts emit light. In the reader/writer device for thenoncontact communication medium using the light guiding device asdescribed above, the light emitting end parts are provided so as torespectively face a plurality of users, whereby each of the plurality ofusers can easily check the light emitting state indicating the result ofthe information processing with the noncontact communication medium. Forexample, if one of the plurality of light emitting end parts is providedso as to face a shop clerk and another one of the plurality of lightemitting end parts is provided so as to face a customer, even if theentire surface of the reader/writer part is covered by the noncontactcommunication medium, each of the shop clerk and the customer can easilycheck the light emitting state indicating the result of the informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium.

In addition, in the light guiding device, according to the presentinvention, the light guide plate may include a light entrance partthrough which the light is inputted from the light source disposed onthe lower surface side of the transparent main body part, and thetransparent main body part may include a light direction change partwhich changes a direction of the light which has entered through thelight entrance part toward the light emitting end part.

With this configuration, the light source can be disposed on the lowersurface side of the light guide plate, and hence a degree of freedom indesign is enhanced, to thereby downsize the device.

In addition, in the light guiding device according to the presentinvention, the light emitting end part may be provided on an entireperiphery of the end surface of the transparent main body part.

With this configuration, the light emitting end part is provided on theentire periphery of the transparent main body part. Therefore, when theentire surface of the reader/writer part is covered by the noncontactcommunication medium, each of users in all directions can easily checkthe light emitting state indicating the result of the informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium.

A reader/writer device for a noncontact communication medium accordingto the present invention includes: the above-mentioned light guidingdevice; a reader/writer part which performs information processing withthe noncontact communication medium; an input operation part whichperforms a data input operation for the information processing with thenoncontact communication medium; the first light emitting part which isincluded in the light guiding device, and changes a light emitting statethereof at a time of the information processing with the noncontactcommunication medium; and the second light emitting part which isincluded in the light guiding device, is disposed in a vicinity of theinput operation part at a position apart from the first light emittingpart, and operates together with the first light emitting part to changean illumination state thereof.

In this reader/writer device for the noncontact communication medium, inthe case where the area of the first light emitting part is made smallerthan that of the noncontact communication medium, even if the entiresurface of the reader/writer part is covered by the noncontactcommunication medium, the second light emitting part enables a user whoperforms the data input operation to easily check the light emittingstate indicating the result of the information processing with thenoncontact communication medium. Accordingly, it is possible to makesmaller the area of the first light emitting part, to thereby downsizethe device.

In addition, in the reader/writer device for the noncontactcommunication medium. according to the present invention, the secondlight emitting part may be disposed between the reader/writer part andthe input operation part.

An electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes theabove-mentioned light guiding device. In addition, another electronicapparatus according to the present invention includes theabove-mentioned reader/writer device for the noncontact communicationmedium.

According to the present invention, the second light emitting part isprovided at the leading end of the protruding part of the light guideplate. Accordingly, in the case where the first light emitting part ofthe transparent main body part of the light guide plate is covered, thesecond light emitting part makes it possible to easily check the lightemitting state.

Hereinafter, a reader/writer device for a noncontact communicationmedium using a light guiding device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention is described with reference to the drawings.

The reader/writer device for the noncontact communication mediumaccording to the embodiment of the present invention is described withreference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. Here, an entire configuration of thereader/writer device for the noncontact communication medium is firstdescribed. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the reader/writer device forthe noncontact communication medium. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspectiveview of the reader/writer device for the noncontact communicationmedium. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the reader/writer device forthe noncontact communication medium.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a reader/writer device 1 for a noncontactcommunication medium includes: a reader/writer part 3 for reading anoncontact communication medium 2; an input operation part 4 forperforming a data input operation at the time of information processingwith the noncontact communication medium 2; and a liquid crystal displaypart 5 for displaying data items of a result of the informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium 2, a result of thedata input, and the like. The liquid crystal display part 5 is providedin a central part of an upper surface of a case 6 of the reader/writerdevice 1 for the noncontact communication medium. The reader/writer part3 is provided in an upper part of the upper surface of the case 6 (thepart above the liquid crystal display part 5), and can read thenoncontact communication medium 2 in a noncontact manner. In addition,the input operation part 4 is provided in a lower part of the uppersurface of the case 6 (the part below the liquid crystal display part5). The input operation part 4 includes a plurality of input keys, andcan be also referred to as a key input part.

The reader/writer device 1 for the noncontact communication mediumincludes two light emitting parts 7 and 8. The first light emitting part7 is provided at a position of the reader/writer part 3, and the secondlight emitting part 8 is provided at a position apart from thereader/writer part 3. In this example, the second light emitting part 8is provided at a position between the reader/writer part 3 and the inputoperation part 4 (the part above the liquid crystal display part 5). Thetwo light emitting parts 7 and 8 change light emitting states thereof toannounce the result of the information processing (a state such asread/write success or read/write failure) with the noncontactcommunication medium 2. For example, in the case of the read/writesuccess, the two light emitting parts 7 and 8 emit blue color light atthe same time, and in the case of the read/write failure, the two lightemitting parts 7 and 8 emit red color light at the same time.

Here, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the configuration of the twolight emitting parts 7 and 8 is described in detail. As illustrated inFIG. 2 and FIG. 3, LEDs 9 each serving as a light source and a lightguide plate 10 are incorporated on a lower side of the reader/writerpart 3 (the lower side in FIG. 3). In this case, the two LEDs 9 aremounted on a substrate 11 (see FIG. 2), and the substrate 11 on whichthe LEDs 9 are mounted is attached to a substrate housing concave part12 formed on the upper surface of the case 6. The light guide plate 10is attached to an upper side of the substrate 11 (the upper side in FIG.3), and a protection panel 13 is attached to an upper side of the lightguide plate 10. The protection panel 13 is provided with a transparentsurface window part 14 at a position corresponding to a main body part(a transparent main body part 17 to be described later) of the lightguide plate 10, and this constitutes the first light emitting part 7. Asdescribed above, the first light emitting part 7 is formed into a planarshape by the main body part of the light guide plate 10, and can be alsoreferred to as a light emitting planar part.

In addition, a part (a protruding part 13 to be described later) of thelight guide plate 10 is inserted into a slit 15 of the case 6, and theabove-mentioned protection panel 13 is attached to an upper sidethereof. The protection panel 13 is also provided with a transparentslit window part 16 at a position corresponding to the part (theprotruding part 13 to be described Later) of the light guide plate 10,and this constitutes the second light emitting part 3. As describedabove, the second light emitting part 3 is formed by an end part of thelight guide plate 10, and can be also referred to as a light emittingend part.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the configuration of thelight guide plate 10 is described in detail. FIG. 4 is a plan view ofthe light guide plate 10, and FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of thelight guide plate 10. As illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the lightguide plate 10 includes the transparent main body part 17 having asubstantially quadrilateral plate-like shape and the protruding part 12which is provided so as to protrude from a part of an end surface of thetransparent main body part 17. On a lower surface of the transparentmain body part 17, a diffusely reflecting part 19 is formed at aposition corresponding to the first light emitting part 7. In thisexample, the lower surface of the transparent main body part 17 issubjected to grain finishing, to thereby form the diffusely reflectingpart 19. In addition, on the lower surface of the transparent main bodypart 17, an LED housing concave part 20 is formed at a positioncorresponding to each of the LEDs 9. Each of the LEDs 9 mounted on thesubstrate 11 is housed in the LED housing concave part 20.

In addition, on the lower surface of the transparent main body part 17,a reflecting part 21 is provided at a position corresponding to thefirst light emitting part 7. In this example, a white tape is attachedto the lower surface of the transparent main body part 17, to therebyform the reflecting part 21. It should be noted that, on an uppersurface of the transparent main body part 17, the white tape is attachedalso at a position corresponding to the LED housing concave part 20, tothereby form the reflecting part 21. Further, the white tape is attachedto side surfaces of the transparent main body part 17, except for theend surface thereof on which the protruding part 10 is provided, tothereby form the reflecting part 21.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the protruding part 12 is provided on a sideopposed (opposite side) to the LED housing concave parts 20. A thicknessof the protruding part 18 is set to be smaller than a thickness of thetransparent main body part 17, and a width of the protruding part 18 isset to be smaller than a width of the transparent main body part 17.That is, it can be said that the protruding part 13 is formed byprotruding a part of the end surface (a surface opposite to the LEDhousing concave part 20) of the transparent main body part 17. Then, thewhite tape is attached to an upper surface and a lower surface of theprotruding part 18, to thereby form the reflecting part 21.

An operation of the thus configured reader/writer device 1 for thenoncontact communication medium is described with reference to thedrawings.

Here, description is given of a state where, when the reader/writerdevice 1 for the noncontact communication medium performs theinformation processing (read/write processing) with the noncontactcommunication medium 2, the first light emitting part 7 and the secondlight emitting part 8 are caused to emit light in order to announce theresult of the information processing (read/write success or read/writefailure) with the noncontact communication medium 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view for describing the state where thefirst light emitting part 7 and the second light emitting part 3 arecaused to emit light. When the LED 9 serving as a light source is lit inresponse to the result of the information processing with the noncontactcommunication medium 2, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the light which hasentered the light guide plate 10 is diffusely reflected by the diffuselyreflecting part 19 on the lower surface of the transparent main bodypart 17. Then, the first light emitting part 7 on the upper surface sideof the transparent main body part 17 (the upper side in FIG. 5) emitslight. In addition, the light which has entered the light guide plate 10is transmitted through the transparent main body part 17 to be guided toa leading end of the protruding part 13. Then, the second light emittingpart a at the leading end of the protruding part 18 (the left end inFIG. 5) emits light.

In the reader/writer device 1 for the noncontact communication mediumaccording to the embodiment of the present invention as described above,the second light emitting part 8 is provided at the leading end of theprotruding part 12 of the light guide plate 10. Accordingly, even in thecase where the first light emitting part 7 of the transparent main bodypart 17 of the light guide plate 10 is covered by the noncontactcommunication medium 2, the second light emitting part 8 makes itpossible to easily check the light emitting state (the result of theinformation processing with the noncontact communication medium 2).

In this case, it is possible to emit light at the same time with a smallnumber of components in a large range, a plurality of directions, and aplurality of portions. Further, even in the case where an entire surfaceof the reader/writer part 3 is covered by the noncontact communicationmedium 2 or the like and information exchange with the noncontactcommunication medium 2 cannot be visually Observed by a change of thefirst light emitting part 7, it is possible to check the informationexchange by a change of the second light emitting part 8. Therefore,even in the case where, the information exchange with the noncontactcommunication medium 2 cannot be checked by a sound, it is possible toeasily check the operation of the reader/writer device 1 for thenoncontact communication medium.

Specifically, the light inputted from the light source is diffuselyreflected by the diffusely reflecting part 19 of the transparent mainbody part 17, so that the light emitting planar part (first lightemitting part 7) on the upper surface side of the transparent main bodypart 17 emits light. At the same time, the light inputted from the lightsource is transmitted through the transparent main body part 17, so thatthe light emitting end part (second light emitting part 8) at theleading end of the protruding part 13 emits light. At this time, becausethe reflecting part 21 is provided on each of the upper surface side andthe lower surface side of the protruding part 18, it is possible toprevent the light from leaking to the outside through the upper surfaceside and the lower surface side of the protruding part 18, which enablessuppressing a reduction in light amount of the light emitting end part(second light emitting part 8).

In addition, the reflecting part 21 is formed at each of the positioncorresponding to the first light emitting part 7 on the lower surface ofthe transparent main body part 17, the position corresponding to the LEDhousing concave part 20 on the upper surface of the transparent mainbody part 17, and the positions of the side surfaces of the transparentmain body part 17, except for the end surface thereof on which theprotruding part 18 is provided. Accordingly, it is possible to preventthe light which has entered the light guide plate 10 from leaking to theoutside through a portion other than the two light emitting parts 7 and8, which enables suppressing a reduction in light amount of the twolight emitting parts 7 and 8.

In the reader/writer device 1 for the noncontact communication mediumusing the light guiding device as described above, in the case where anarea of the light emitting planar part (first light emitting part 7) ismade smaller than that of the noncontact communication medium 2, even ifthe entire surface of the reader/writer part 3 is covered by thenoncontact communication medium 2, the light emitting end part (secondlight emitting part 8) enables a user who performs the data inputoperation to easily check the light emitting state indicating the resultof the information processing with the noncontact communication medium2. Accordingly, it is possible to make smaller the area of the lightemitting planar part (first light emitting part 7), to thereby downsizethe device.

Hereinabove, the embodiment of the present invention is described by wayof example. The scope of the present invention is not limited thereto,and hence the present invention can be changed and modified inaccordance with the purpose within the range described in the claims.

For example, the above description is given of the example where asingle light emitting end part (second light emitting part 8) isprovided in the light guide plate 10. The scope of the present inventionis not limited thereto, and hence a plurality of light emitting endparts may be provided in the light guide plate 10.

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the light guide plate 10 according toanother embodiment. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the lightguide plate 10 includes the transparent main body part 17 having asubstantially quadrilateral shape, and the protruding part 18 isprovided on each of end surfaces of three sides (the three sides otherthan a side on which the LED housing concave part 20 is provided) of thetransparent main body part 17. The three protruding parts 18 protrude indirections different from each other by 90 degrees (upward, leftward,and downward in FIG. 6).

Similarly to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the white tape is attached to theupper surface and the lower surface of each of the three protrudingparts 18, to thereby form the reflecting part 21. Then, the lightemitting end part second light emitting part 8) is provided at a leadingend of each of the three protruding parts 15. That is, the light guidelate 10 is provided with the three light emitting end parts (secondlight emitting parts 8).

In the light guide plate 10 as described above, the light emittingplanar part (first light emitting part 7) on the upper surface side ofthe transparent main body part 17 emits light, and at the same time, thelight emitting end parts (second light emitting parts 8) at the leadingends of the three protruding parts 13 emit light. In the reader/writerdevice, 1 for the noncontact communication medium using the lightguiding device as described above, the light emitting end parts (secondlight emitting parts 8) are provided so as to respectively face users inthree directions, whereby each of the three users can easily check thelight emitting state indicating the result of the information processingwith the noncontact communication medium 2.

For example, if one of the three light emitting end parts (second lightemitting parts 8) is provided so as to face a shop clerk and the othertwo thereof are provided so as to face customers, even if the entiresurface of the reader/writer part 3 is covered by the noncontactcommunication medium 2, each of the shop clerk and two customers caneasily check the light emitting state indicating the result of theinformation processing with the noncontact communication medium 2.

In addition, the above description is given of the example where thelight source is disposed in a lateral part of the light guide plate 10.The scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and hence thelight source may be disposed below the light guide plate 10.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view illustrating the light guide plate 10according to still another embodiment. In the example illustrated inFIG. 7, the LED 9 serving as a light source is disposed on a lowersurface side of the light guide plate 10. Then, the light guide plate 10is provided with a light entrance part 22 through which the light. isinputted from the LED 9 disposed on the lower surface side of thetransparent main body part 17.

In addition, in the transparent main body part 17, a light directionchange part 23 which changes a direction of the light which has enteredthrough the light entrance part 22 toward the light emitting end part(second light emitting part 8) is provided at a position correspondingto the light entrance part 22. In this example, the direction of thelight which has entered from the lower surface side (the lower side inFIG. 7) is changed by approximately 90 degrees toward the light emittingend part (the left side in FIG. 7).

In the light guide plate 10 as described above, the light source (LED 9and the like) can be disposed on the lower surface side of the lightguide plate 10, and hence a degree of freedom in design is enhanced, tothereby downsize the device.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating the light guide plate 10according to further another embodiment. In the example illustrated inFIG. 8, similarly to the example of FIG. 7, the LED 9 serving as a lightsource is disposed on the lower surface side of the light guide plate10. In this case, the LED 9 is disposed in a substantially central partof the light guide plate 10. Then, the light entrance part 22 throughwhich the light is inputted from the LED 9 disposed on the lower surfaceside of the transparent main body part 17 is provided in the centralpart of the light guide plate 10.

In addition, in the transparent main body part 17, the light directionchange part 23 which changes the direction of the light which hasentered through the light entrance part 22 toward the light emitting endpart (second light emitting part 8) is provided at a position (in thiscase, the substantially central part) corresponding to the lightentrance part 22. In this example, the light emitting end part (secondlight emitting part 8) is provided on an entire periphery of the endsurface of the transparent main body part 17. Accordingly, all thedirections of the light which has entered from the lower surface side(the lower side in FIG. 8) are changed by approximately 90 degreestoward the light emitting end part (both the right and left sides inFIG. 8).

In the light guide plate as described above, the light emitting end partis provided on the entire periphery of the transparent main body part.Therefore, when the entire surface of the reader/writer part is coveredby the noncontact communication medium, each of users in all thedirections can easily check the light emitting state indicating theresult of the information processing with the noncontact communicationmedium.

In addition, the above description is given of the example where thefirst light emitting part and the second light emitting part are causedto emit light using the same LED. The scope of the present invention isnot limited thereto, and hence the first light emitting part and thesecond light emitting part may be caused to emit light using differentLEDs.

Hereinabove, the preferred embodiments of the present invention whichcan be conceived at present are described. It is understood that variousmodifications of the present embodiments are possible, and it isintended that the attached claims encompass all such modifications,which fall within the true spirit and range of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the light guiding device according to the presentinvention has an effect that, in the case where the first light emittingpart of the transparent main body part of the light guide plate iscovered, the second light emitting part makes it possible to easilycheck the light emitting state, and is effectively used for thereader/writer device for the noncontact communication medium and thelike.

1. A reader/writer device comprising: a reader/writer part which has acommunication surface for communication with a noncontact communicationmedium, a first light emitting part which is provided at thecommunication surface and which emits light when communicating with thenoncontact communication medium or when conducting informationprocessing therewith, and a second light emitting part which is providedat an outer position of the communication surface, and which emits lightwhen communicating with the noncontact communication medium or whenconducting information processing therewith.
 2. The reader/writer deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the second light emitting part is disposedaround the reader/writer part.
 3. The reader/writer device according toclaim 1, wherein the second light emitting part is disposed on a sidesurface around the reader/writer part.
 4. The reader/writer deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the first light emitting part and thesecond. light emitting part change light emitting state, thereoftogether when communicating with the noncontact communication medium orwhen conducting information processing.
 5. The reader/writer deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a light source which emitslight when communicating with the noncontact communication medium orwhen conducting information processing, and a light guide part whichguides the light emitted by the light source to the first light emittingpart and the second light emitting part.
 6. The reader/writer deviceaccording to claim 5, wherein the light source changes a light emittingstate thereof when communicating with the noncontact communicationmedium or when conducting information processing.
 7. The reader/writerdevice, according to claim wherein the light guide part comprises: alight entering part in which the light emitted by the light source isentered, a first light path which guides the light entered in the lightentering cart to the first light emitting part, and a second light pathwhich guides the light entered in the light entering part to the secondlight emitting part, wherein a light path change part which changes thefirst light path or the second light path to the other is provided atleast in the first light path or the second light path.
 8. Thereader/writer device according to claim 1, wherein the informationprocessing is reading/writing the noncontact communication medium and alight emitting state when read/write success different from the lightemitting state when read/write failure.
 9. The reader/writer deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising an input operation part whichperforms a data input operation for the information processing with thenoncontact communication medium, wherein the second light emitting partis disposed between the reader/writer part and the input operation part.10. The reader/writer device according to claim 9, further comprising aliquid crystal display part which displays a result of the informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium or a result of thedata input by the input operation part, wherein the second lightemitting part is disposed between the reader/writer part and the liquidcrystal display part.
 11. A reader/writer device comprising: areader/writer part which has a communication surface which is a surfacefor communication with a noncontact communication medium, a first lightemitting part, at least part of which is covered by the noncontactcommunication medium when the noncontact communication medium ispositioned over the communication surface so that communication with thenoncontact communication medium can be conducted, wherein the firstlight emitting part emits light when communicating with the noncontactcommunication medium or when conducting information processing, and asecond light emitting part which is provided at a position apart fromthe first light emitting part, and which emits light when communicatingwith the noncontact communication medium or when conducting informationprocessing.
 12. The reader/writer device according to claim 11, whereinthe second light emitting part is disposed around the reader/writerpart.
 13. The reader/writer device according to claim 11, wherein thesecond light emitting part is disposed on a side surface around thereader/writer part.
 14. The reader/writer device according to claim 11,wherein the first light emitting part and the second light emitting partchange a light emitting state thereof together when communicating withthe noncontact communication medium or when conducting informationprocessing.
 15. The reader/writer device according to claim 11, furthercomprising: a light source which emits light when communicating with thenoncontact communication medium or when conducting informationprocessing, and a light guide part which guides the light emitted by thelight source to the first light emitting part and the second lightemitting part.
 16. The reader/writer device according to claim 15,wherein the light source changes a light emitting state thereof whencommunicating with the noncontact communication medium or whenconducting information processing.
 17. The reader/writer deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein the light guide part comprises: a lightentering part in which light the emitted by the light source is entered,a first light path which guides the light entered in the light enteringpart to the first light emitting part, and a second light path whichguides the light entered in the light entering part to the second lightemitting part, wherein a light path change part which changes the firstlight path or the second light path to the other is provided at least inthe first light path or the second light path.
 18. The reader/writerdevice according to claim 11, wherein the information processing isreading/writing the noncontact communication medium and a light emittingstate when read/write success different from the light emitting statewhen read/write failure.
 19. The reader/writer device according to claim11, further comprising an input operation part which performs a datainput operation for the information processing with the noncontactcommunication medium, wherein the second light emitting part is disposedbetween the reader/writer part and the input operation part.
 20. Thereader/writer device according to claim 11, further comprising a liquidcrystal display part which displays a result of the informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium or a result of thedata input by the input operation part, wherein the second lightemitting part is disposed between the reader/writer part and the liquidcrystal display part.
 21. A reader/writer device comprising: areader/writer part which has a communication surface which is a surfacefor communication with a noncontact communication medium, a first lightemitting part which is provided at the communication surface, and whichemits light when communicating with the noncontact communication mediumor when conducting information processing, and a second light emittingpart which is provided at a non-communication surface, which is not thesurface for communication, and which emits light when communicating withthe noncontact communication medium or when conducting informationprocessing.
 22. The reader/writer device according to claim 21, whereinthe second light emitting part is disposed. around the reader/writerpart.
 23. The reader/writer device according to claim 21, wherein thesecond light emitting part is disposed on a side surface around thereader/writer part.
 24. The reader/writer device according to claim 21,wherein the first light emitting part and the second light emitting partchange a light emitting state thereof together when communicating withthe noncontact communication medium or when conducting informationprocessing.
 25. The reader/writer device according to claim 21, furthercomprising: a light source which emits light when communicating with thenoncontact communication medium or when conducting informationprocessing, and a light guide part which guides the light emitted by thelight source to the first light emitting part and the second lightemitting part.
 26. The reader/writer device according to claim 25,wherein the light source changes a light emitting state thereof whencommunicating with the noncontact communication medium or whenconducting information processing.
 27. The reader/writer deviceaccording to claim 25, wherein the light guide part comprises: a lightentering part in which the light emitted by the light source is entered,a first light path which guides the light entered in the light enteringpart to the first light emitting part, and a second light path whichguides the light entered in the light entering part to the second lightemitting part, wherein a light path change part which changes the firstlight path or the second light path to the other is provided at least inthe first light path or the second light path.
 28. The reader/writerdevice according to claim 21, wherein the information processing isreading/writing the noncontact communication medium and a light emittingstate when read/write success is different from the light emitting statewhen read/write failure.
 29. The reader/writer device according to claim2 further comprising an input operation part which performs a data inputoperation for the information processing with the noncontactcommunication medium, wherein the second light emitting part is disposedbetween the reader/writer part and the input operation part.
 30. Thereader/writer device according to claim 21, further comprising a liquidcrystal display part which displays a result of the informationprocessing with the noncontact communication medium or a result of thedata input by the input operation part, wherein the second lightemitting part is disposed between the reader/writer part and the liquidcrystal display part.
 31. An electronic apparatus, comprising thereader/writer device according to claim
 1. 32. An electronic apparatus,comprising the reader/writer device according to claim
 11. 33. Anelectronic apparatus, comprising the reader/writer device according toclaim
 21. 34. A settlement terminal, comprising the reader/writer deviceaccording to claim
 1. 35. A settlement terminal, comprising thereader/writer device according to claim
 11. 36. A settlement terminal,comprising the reader/writer device according to claim 21.